Oskar Qvist - Linköping University (Sweden), Master

Why did you choose KIT as your host university for your semester/year abroad?

Because my home university has a long tradition of successful collaboration with KIT, which is a very well renowned university. This in turn will help me in the early stages of my career

What do you like about your studies at KIT-Department of Economics and Management?

First of all, I like that there are so many courses to freely choose from – it really allows students to focus on their field(s) of interest. Secondly, there are many smaller, more practical courses (at least in some modules), which helps one better understand how theories apply to reality. These also often involve working in groups, and group work is both fun and a great way to meet new, interesting people!

What is special about the city of Karlsruhe (and/or this region) from your point of view?

As a Swede, I must mention the temperature and weather! Karlsruhe is a lot warmer and sunnier than I am used to back home. Also, the central location in Europe makes it ideal for traveling around. I must admit that I was a bit sceptical before moving here, but Karlsruhe is actually a very beautiful city, with a very pleasant atmosphere and a lot of students – I was positively surprised!

What makes your semester at KIT a worthwhile experience? Why should other international students come here for one or two semesters?

Studying at KIT is worthwhile for a number of reasons, but I’d emphasize that great feeling of continuously learning new stuff – and not just via the university. Since moving here, I’ve (significantly) improved my Ger-man, learned a lot about German culture, met numerous new friends, and gained several important contacts outside of academia.

Snjólaug Heimisdóttir - University of Iceland
, Bachelor

Why did you choose KIT as your host university for your semester/year abroad?

I heard positive things from my friend’s experience after studying at KIT. I knew that KIT was one of the leading universities for engineering in Europe. I wanted to go abroad, improve my German knowledge, meet new people and study at a great institute with a wide range of study programs. Therefore, KIT was the right choice.

What do you like about your studies at KIT-Department of Economics and Management?

I was surprised to see how many courses I could choose from KIT-Department of Economics and Manage-ment. I have gained international experience by studying at this department and I know it will only have a positive impact on my job opportunities later on. Both, classmates and teachers, are always willing to help and I think that is an important thing when studying abroad.

What is special about the city of Karlsruhe (and/or this region) from your point of view?

Coming from Iceland, the first thing that comes to my mind is the great weather climate: being able to go outside in a T-shirt and shorts is amazing. I like that the atmosphere is very chilled, people are relaxed and friendly. If you want to go somewhere to have a nice time, the Schlosspark is the perfect place, especially when the weather is great. I also like that it's very easy to go out in the nature and enjoy the green forest and fresh air.

What makes your semester at KIT a worthwhile experience? Why should other international students come here for one or two semesters?

You will get to know people from all over the world because KIT is a very international university. Having friends all over the world is something that is worth a lot. By studying at KIT you will gain international experience and that is something that will always help you later on in your job career. I was able to improve my German knowledge while studying at KIT and I’ve gained the ability to see engineering tasks from a new point of view and generally open a new perspective on things.

Yitong Ji - National University of Singapore, Bachelor

Industrial and System Engineeringmobility semester at KIT: summer term 2018 Participant in exchange collaboration of NUS and KITInterests: Reading books and traveling

Why did you choose KIT as your host university for your semester/year abroad?

One of my senior fellow students told me about his experience as an exchange student at KIT. The most important aspect was that I’d be free and flexible in my course choices: KIT offers a wide variety of courses and I liked the fact that we can attend the lectures we’re interested in to see if we made the right decisions, as changes to our initial course choices can be made after the first few weeks of the semester.

What do you like about your studies at KIT-Department of Economics and Management?

The professors are very patient and they delivered the lectures in a way that I could understand easily. The lectures are very engaging. Moreover, I was able to take lectures related to various fields of study, such as supply chain management, economics and operations research. This learning experience significantly broadened my knowledge in industrial engineering.

What is special about the city of Karlsruhe (and/or this region) from your point of view?

People in Karlsruhe are very friendly and many people lent a helping hand to me during my stay here. Moreover, the weather in Karlsruhe is very nice and I love being able to travel to the Black Forest during the weekends for relaxation.

What makes your semester at KIT a worthwhile experience? Why should other international students come here for one or two semesters?

During my semester in Karlsruhe, I had the chance to explore the culture in Germany while also making friends with people from different countries, which makes my semester in Karlsruhe a very meaningful experience to me. Academically, I benefit from the new concepts that I learned from the professors at KIT, who deliver excellent lectures. This will of course also help me in my future career.
If you have the chance to study at KIT you should definitely not miss it, as I think this can be a very enriching experience for you. The team from the international office and the student organization AK Erasmus organize great events for exchange students to make sure you make new friends and have a good time in Germany. I think you won’t have any problems adapting to the life in Karlsruhe, as there are always people to help you!

Marit Mohr - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Master

Why did you choose to study at KIT?

Initially, I chose to study my bachelor’s degree at KIT mainly because the program did not require a specialization beforehand. The course content is very broad and lets you decide in what direction you finally want to continue. Moreover, the university offers many leisure activities such as sports courses and different student associations. Another determining factor for my decision to stay at KIT for the master studies was the possibility to participate in an exchange program with the University of Linköping, Sweden.

What do you like about your studies at KIT-Department of Economics and Management?

Our program offers a broad range of subjects and enables a very individual choice. Whether you want to focus on business administration, economics, operations research, computer science or engineering subjects, there are many options. Some of my friends have specialized in production planning and logistics, some in the automotive sector, in marketing, in innovation management or in energy economics.

What is special about the city of Karlsruhe (and/or this region) and why should international students come here for one or two semesters?

Karlsruhe is a student city. Besides KIT, there are several other universities and overall more than 40,000 students. The town has the perfect size; basically everything is reachable by bike. In summer, student life mainly happens outside in the Schlossgarten (park around the castle next to campus) or at one of the many lakes around Karlsruhe. Also, the black forest region where you can hike, mountain bike or even ski in winter, is just around the corner and the French border is just as close. A new favorite spot that I just discovered is the industrial harbor of the Rhine River during sunset ;)

How has your study-abroad experience been an asset to your academic career?

On the one hand, the different course contents gave me new directions and ideas that I would not have had at home. On the other hand, I experienced student life and university culture in a different country and learned to look at some topics from a different perspective. Group works with students from all over the world actually taught me a lot about working in international teams.

Sophia Paul and Fajar Ausri - Purdue University (USA), Bachelor

Why did you choose KIT as your host university for your semester/year abroad?

Sophia: I wanted to study in Germany because my extended family lives here and I lived close to Frankfurt until I was 7, and I wanted to have the experience of studying in my first home. I chose KIT because the program matches well with my home university, and it is a well-known university for engineering.

Fajar: KIT is renowned in Germany for its technical courses. I chose KIT because I wanted to enjoy my time in Europe while having access to some of the best professors in the field.

What do you like about your studies at KIT-Department of Economics and Management?

Fajar: The best thing about KIT is that it teaches you to be autonomous. You are free to choose your lectures, you are free to learn material at your own pace, and you are free to organize your time as you please.

Sophia: I agree with Fajar. The freedom to manage your time as you please is immensely beneficial in a study abroad program. For students traveling from so far away, this is an opportunity to see a significant part of Europe.

What makes your semester at KIT a worthwhile experience? Why should other international students come here for one or two semesters?

Sophia: The professors are knowledgeable and engaging. It’s a great place to get a really great education while still having a lot of freedom to travel and enjoy your time abroad.

Fajar: KIT has one of the best industrial engineering courses in Germany. That, plus the relaxed and joyous atmosphere in the city makes it a great place for you to spend time abroad.

What is special about the city of Karlsruhe (and/or this region) from your point of view?

Fajar: The southern cities of Germany offer a great mixture of cultures. This is especially true in Karlsruhe; there are multiple large schools all of whom host a great deal of foreign students (from surrounding European countries as well as exchange students from all over the world). Even the local government is welcoming of new residents with their welcome package to any new residents of the city.

Sophia: I really love the atmosphere of the city as well. Everyone goes and hangs out in the Schlossgarten on nice days, making it a really welcoming place.

Why did you choose KIT as your host university for your semester/year abroad?

I chose KIT for its known strong technical department, for its chair of energy economics and for the possibility to take some math related courses. Another important aspect was the location in Germany, since I wanted to improve my German language skills.

What do you like about your studies at KIT-Department of Economics and Management?

I was very impressed by the infrastructure offered by the university to the students. The classes, the online platforms, and the welcome session by the department were all very well done and helped a lot.

What is special about the city of Karlsruhe (and/or this region) from your point of view?

Karlsruhe is a nice, smaller city with a beautiful castle in the middle. While everything can be reached by bike, the town is not so small that you know everyone there. I like that Karlsruhe is full of students and that there is free Wi-Fi almost everywhere.

What makes your semester at KIT a worthwhile experience? Why should other international students come here for one or two semesters?

KIT is a top university in Germany, with a great infrastructure and a gigantic Campus. The teachers are excellent and the classrooms and laboratories are modern and well maintained. I like the atmosphere with a lot of international students in the city: you get in touch with a great amount of different cultures. The weather is nice most of the time, making it possible to enjoy the city’s many parks and nature.

Why did you choose KIT as your host university for your semester/year abroad?

While looking for a host university for my Erasmus+ semester abroad, it was quite obvious for me that I would like to come to Germany. Germany is considered the center of engineering and development in Europe, and in my personal opinion everyone should experience what it is like to live and study in a vital atmosphere like this. At the same time I wanted to learn the German language. I am sure that this will be one of my key qualities when looking for a job back home in Hungary.

What do you like about your studies at KIT-Department of Economics and Management?

I really like that teachers treat me more like a colleague instead of a student. The university is very project oriented; in my classes it is an everyday task to hold a presentation. I love the way how teachers help me work on my ideas. The lectures are interactive no matter if it is for 2 or 200 students. It requires an active participation from everyone.

What is special about the city of Karlsruhe (and/or this region) from your point of view?

Even though Karlsruhe is a comparatively small city, it is full of opportunities. There is an active student life; everyone can find their individually ideal way of bonding with others and of getting involved. It is possible to find an internship or a job easily, so we do not even have to worry about the financial part. The forests make the place even more comfortable.

What makes your semester at KIT a worthwhile experience? Why should other international students come here for one or two semesters?

My answer is definitely the community! Everyone is helpful, everyone is open-minded and everyone is willing to listen to your ideas and thoughts. At KIT students from all over the world, with their diverse and individual talents in different fields of life, come together to create something important. This is what makes my stay unforgettable.